1. Field of the Invention
Numerous users, especially but not exclusively road users, have requirements for electrical energy, in order, during their successive stops, either to preserve the quality of the freight which they are transporting, or to enjoy a minimum level of comfort, or alternatively to have available an energy source which can allow them to carry out their daily activity.
This is the case for road haulers, in particular of refrigerated road haulage units, who are obliged to stop regularly, and who, in order to keep the perishable foodstuffs which they are transporting completely fresh, need to activate a heat engine, independent of the motor for driving the truck proper, and necessary for ensuring the operation of the on-board refrigeration unit given the task of keeping the temperature-regulated trailer containing said foodstuffs at a low temperature. These heat engines, in general diesel motors, generate, in addition to pollution of the surrounding air, pollution inherent to the noise as well.
Currently, this type of truck almost routinely uses an electric motor, which can ensure the operation of the on-board refrigeration unit. Now, except in public corporations, there is currently no self-contained system for electrical supply, in particular in rest areas, parking areas, etc., which can make it possible to supply these electric motors.
However, this problem also concerns enthusiasts of camping, trailer camping and those of water sports, who when they respectively obtain a pitch in a campsite or a mooring in a harbor, are required to pay a tariff sum, in order to be able to use an electric power outlet, which tariff sum is independent of the quantity of electricity actually consumed.
This problem also arises for fairground stall holders and other linked activities, and also licensed market traders (market gardeners, etc.), who are also invariably required to hand over a tariff payment to be able to use electricity, in order to operate their carousels and other stands, or heating and/or lighting systems.
Finally, since the number of automobiles with an electric motor is ever increasing, a commercial need will be felt for a device capable of recharging the batteries or accumulators on board said vehicles, and intended to allow the motor to be supplied with electrical energy.
Thus, a real need has appeared, concerning the possibility of being able to use, in particular in public places, rest areas, laybys, camping sites, harbors, etc., or in short outside domestic use, systems capable of delivering electrical energy on demand and directly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to satisfy this demand, an electric energy distributor has been provided, in the form of electricity delivery terminals, incorporating a pre-payment instrument, such as for example described in document U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,418. Each of the terminals incorporates an electricity meter, so that there is no switching between this payment center and the electricity delivery center. This type of distributor therefore has the fatal flaw of being easy to defraud, since it is sufficient for the user to connect on before the meter in order to be able to supply himself with electricity.
In order to overcome this drawback, it was then proposed to break the circuit between the payment center and the electricity delivery center, as for example in document EP-A-0,375,468. The device described comprises electrical energy delivery terminals, and a unit for selling tokens or equivalent systems, which can be inserted at said terminals in order to bring about the actual delivery of electricity. However, said terminals are permanently powered up, so that again, fraud is possible, since the terminals still remain out of the control of the unit for selling tokens.